Table of Contents

National Survey of American Life Self-Administered Questionnaire (NSAL-SAQ), February 2001-June 2003 (ICPSR 27121)

Principal Investigator(s):Jackson, James S., University of Michigan. Institute for Social Research; Caldwell, Cleopatra, University of Michigan. Research Center for Group Dynamics; Williams, David R., University of Michigan. Survey Research Center; Neighbors, Harold W., University of Michigan, Research Center for Group Dynamics; Nesse, Randolph M., University of Michigan. Research Center for Group Dynamics; Taylor, Robert Joseph, University of Michigan. Research Center for Group Dynamics; Trierweiler, Steven J., University of Michigan. Research Center for Group Dynamics

Summary:

The National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003 (NSAL) was followed up by a self-administered interview (NSAL SAQ) as a way to reduce respondent burden following the 2 1/2 hour NSAL survey. The SAQ includes additional questions about social, group, and individual characteristics: psychological resources (i.e., John Henryism), group and personal identity (racial awareness and identity), as well as ideology and racial relations (i.e., social dominance; stratification beliefs; egalitarianism; natio... (more info)

The National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003 (NSAL) was followed up by a self-administered interview (NSAL SAQ) as a way to reduce respondent burden following the 2 1/2 hour NSAL survey. The SAQ includes additional questions about social, group, and individual characteristics: psychological resources (i.e., John Henryism), group and personal identity (racial awareness and identity), as well as ideology and racial relations (i.e., social dominance; stratification beliefs; egalitarianism; national pride; work ethic; authoritarian, interracial contact; and exposure to Black social contexts); political attitudes (i.e., Race-conscious Policy Index, Race-blind Policy Index, Non-Electoral Participation Index); care of elderly values; job and financial stressors; and wealth. Demographic variables include age, race, and sex.

To protect respondent privacy, the data are restricted from general dissemination. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete an Agreement for the Use of Confidential Data, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research. Apply for access to these data through the ICPSR Restricted Data Contract Portal, which can be accessed via the study home page.

This study is provided by ICPSR.
ICPSR provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis
for a diverse and expanding social science research community.

Universe:
The NSAL SAQ is a subset of the NSAL. All NSAL adult respondents had an opportunity to complete a supplemental self-administered mail survey (NSAL SAQ) following their NSAL interview. The SAQ 40-page questionnaire contains key questions initially included in the NSAL that were removed from the initial interview in order to reduce respondent burden. The respondent was asked if they wanted to participate in a mailback survey. If they agreed, the questionnaire was sent by mail and once received, an incentive payment was sent. The overall response rate was 56.5 percent (n = 3,438); the response rate was 59.9 percent for African Americans (n = 2,137), 42.9 percent for Caribbean Blacks (n = 695), and 68.0 percent for Whites (n = 606). Overall, the demographic distributions of re-interview respondents did not differ greatly from those of the main NSAL sample. The largest differences were among response rates for the different race groups. Being female, being unemployed, having higher levels of education, and participating in the original NSAL interview post-September 11, 2001, were also associated with higher response rates on the mailback survey relative to other NSAL respondents. The mailback survey weights take these differences into account.

Data Types:
survey data

Data Collection Notes:

The variable CPESCASE may be used to merge these data with the NSAL data.

Methodology

Sample:
Complex survey data sample that has a random component to it.

Weight:
Modified versions of the NSAL weights were created for use in analyses involving variables from the NSAL re-interview. These weights were created by multiplying the original NSAL weights by an additional factor adjusting for nonresponse in the self-administered mail questionnaire. A logistic regression to predict likelihood of mail survey response was conducted using all 6,082 NSAL respondents. Predictors in the final model included race; sex; education; work status; age; home ownership; foreign-born versus US-born; whether the respondents' main NSAL interview took place after September 11, 2001; participation in the NSAL Clinical Reappraisal interview; count of chronic health conditions; length of main NSAL interview; respondent prayer and religiosity; respondents' assessment of his/her weight; financial hardship, respondents' birth order; welfare receipt; respondent impatience during the main NSAL interview; and respondent suspicion about main NSAL interview. Several interactions were also included in the model. Predicted probabilities of responding to the mail survey were calculated and, for respondents, the inverse of this probability was multiplied by the original NSAL weight, and then divided by the mean of these new weights. All mail survey nonrespondents received a weight of zero on the mail survey weights. Mail survey weights should be used for all analyses where any variables from the mail survey are included, regardless of their status as independent variables or dependent variables.